Drum vitalizer



9 J. M. GROLIMUND DRUM VITALIZER Filed March 22, 1941 JOSEPH M fieoz lMU/VD.

Patented June 2, 1942 DRUM VITALIZER Joseph M. Grolimund, Elkhart, Ind., assignor to H. & A. Selmer, Inc., Elkhart, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Application March 22, 194-1, Serial No. 384,632

14 Claims.

"'" This invention relates to a drum vitalizer.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device for vitalizing, sensitizing, and increasing the tonal depth of a drum, or tom-tom.

A further object is to provide a device by means of which the drum heads are controlled to vibrate in unison, and which serves to prevent vibration of said drum heads out of phase.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will insure retention of the snap and crispness of tone of a drum at all times and despite adverse Weather conditions.

A further object of this invention is to provide means for increasing the volume of a drum, and to make the head of a drum more sensitive.

A further object of this invention is to obtain greater volume from the snares of a snare drum.

A further object is to increase the area of the drum head at whichthe drum may be played for best effects.

Other objects will be apparent from the description, drawing, and appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a drum.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of a drum illustrating the vitalizer in place therein.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the vitalizer taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the vitalizer with parts shown in section.

Fig. 5 is a view in elevation of a modified embodiment of the vitalizer.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken on line 'II of Fig. 5.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral Ill designates the shell of a drum, over Whose opposite ends are stretched the drum heads II and I2. The drum heads are mounted upon the conventional flesh hoops I3 with the edges of said heads secured around said hoops, as is conventional. Counter hoops I4 encircle the ends of the shell I0, and each bears against the adjacent flesh hoop I3. Counter hoops I4 are in erconnected by tension rods I of any desired or conventional construction. Snares I6 may be suitably mounted upon the shell III and posiacrcss the head I2. It will be understood that the above mentioned parts are all conventional parts of a drum, and that the instant invention may be used with any construction or type of drum provided with two heads, and with a tom-tom.

Refering to Figs. 3 and 4 which illustrate one embodiment of the invention, my vitalizer comprises a pair of sensitizing vibrators 20, each engaging one of the heads, and a vibrator control connector 2I in the nature of a rigid rod extending between the vibrators 20. Each of the vibrators 20 preferably comprises a central portion 22 having a socket 23 therein open at its inner end. The central portion 22 is of small dimension and extends generally in a direction perpendicular to the head of the drum against which the vibrator 20 is to bear. The central portion 22 is mounted upon a plurality of complementary leg or foot portions 24, here shown as three in number and arranged in equi-angular relation. Leg portions 24 are of longitudinally curved shape, whereby the bearing surfaces 25 thereof are spaced apart and are also spaced a substantial distance outwardly from the outer end of the central portion 22 of the vitalizer. The rod 2| is adapted to seat in the sockets 23 at its ends and is of a length suflicient to press parts 29 outwardly against the heads II and I2. The material of which each of the vibrators 20 is formed is preferably wood or of phenolic material such as Bakelite, or a suitable synthetic resin, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose nitrate, ethyl cellulose, vinyl acetate, acrylic or styrene. It will be understood however that there may be other materials which will serve equally as well as those mentioned above.

The vitalizer unit 20-2I is fixedly secured to the drum, as by gluing the base surfaces 25 of the feet 24 of the vibrator units 20 to said heads, for the purpose of positively maintaining the position of the vitalizer within the drum. The vitalizer unit is located within the drum at a point spaced from the shell 10, and its location in any particular drum is generally determined by first testing that drum to locate the nodal point, and then mounting the vitalizer at or adjacent that point,

The construction of the vibrator 20 of the vitalizer unit is of particular importance to this invention. Particular attention is directed to the fact that there is only a limited area of contact between the vibrator unit and the drum head, and that in general, the vibrator 20 resembles a bridge on a violin. In instances where too great an area of contact between the vibrator and the heads occurs, the construction loses its efiicacy. Note, also, that in the construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4, each vibrator contacts the drum head at spaced points. This has been found to be of definite advantage in obtaining the desired action of the vitalizer unit on the drum, since it reacts on a substantial area of the drum head while contacting or engaging only a very small portion of that area. It will be understood however, that other specific constructions of the vibrator than that here specifically illustrated may be employed with equal advantage, and that the construction here illustrated is only one embodiment of the invention. Also, it will be understood that the vitalizer may be applied to various types of drums, and to drums whose heads are spaced apart at various distances, by merely providing with the pair of vibrators 20, a rod 2| of a length suflicient to provide an over-all dimension of the vitalizer which will span the opposed'drum heads and press outwardly thereagainst. Thus, the vibrators 2?! may be made in standard size for all drums and only the connector 2| need vary according to the size of the drum and particularlythe spacing of the drum heads.

One vitalizer unit of the character above described is usually suflicient with any drum. However, more than one vitalizer may be used if desired, and there may be conditions in an individual drum which make the use of two or more of the vitalizers advantageous.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figs. 5 to '7. In this embodiment the vitalizer is formed from wire. The vibrator thereof preferably constitutes a wire ring 3|. adapted to be positioned fiat against the adjacent drum head. Vibrator 30. is supported upon bent wire members 3?. supporting the same at equispaced points. Members 31' converge centrally and inwardly and are secured together at 33. Two or more of the wires 32 may be extended for a substantial distance to provide a stem or connector substantially coinciding with the axis of ring 3|. In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 5, the extended stem portions are outwardly offset at 34 to provide an elongated space therebetween whose outer end is defined by end portions 35 of the wires which are secured together. Two units of this character may be arranged within a drum in axial alignment, and a suitable securing member such as a bolt 36 may be passed therethhrough. The head of bolt 36 bears upon a washer 31, and a nut 33 is threaded on the bolt and bears upon washer 31, thus serving to firmly clamp the stem portions of the complementary vitalizer parts in desired relation and position to press outwardly upon the opposed drum heads.

It will be understood, of course, that a wire construction also may be made wherein the unit is integral, rather than sectional, as above described, and wherein parts 33 are extended to form a stem passing between and interconnecting the bent wires 32 extending to and mounting each'of the rings 3|. The disadvantage of an integral construction is obvious inasmuch as separate sizes must be made for each individual drum to which the vitalizcr is applicable. This difliculty is entirely avoided by use of the construction in Figs. 5 to 7 Where the formation of the vitalizer unit fromcomplementary units adapted to be interconnected in desired relation by the securing members 36-38 affords a wide range of adjustabllity in over-all length.

The effect of this construction upon a drum is substantially the same as that of the preferred embodiment. Note that while the ring provides said shell, of a vitalizer unit including a pair of rigid presser members each bearing against a restricted portion of the inner face of a head spaced from said shell, and a rigid rod interposed between said presser members, said unit being positioned within said shell and serving to tension said heads.

2. The combination with a drum having a shell, a pair of heads drawn taut over the ends of said shell, and snares, of a rigid'vitalizer member positioned within and spaced-from said shell with its ends bea-ring outwardly against restricted portions of the inner faces of said heads to tension the same andhold the snare head against the snare.

3. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads stretched taut over the ends of said'shell, of a member extending between said heads; and pressing outvv'ardly'thereagainst at restricted portions thereof, said member being positioned withinand spaced from the shell at or adjacent the nodal point of the drum.

4. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads drawn taut over the ends of said shell, of an elongated rigid member having enlarged bridge portions at its ends bear ing against the inner faces. of said heads, said member being positioned at the nodal point of the drum and pressing outwardly against said heads, said bridge portions having only a small area of contact with said head.

5. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads stretched taut over the ends of said shell, of a vitalizer unit comprising a pair of rigid vibrator portions bearing on the inner faces of said heads and a rigid connector portion between said vibrator portions, said vibrator portions having restricted contact withv saidheads in a comparatively large area of said head immediately adjacent said vitalizer unit and spaced from said shell.

6. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads stretched taut over the ends of said shell, of a vitalizer unit comprising a rigid rod mounting a bridge at each end, each of said bridges pressing outwardly against one of said heads at a portion thereof spaced from said shell.

'7. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads stretched taut over the ends of said shell, of a member spanning saidheads spaced from said shell and pressing outwardly against said heads at restricted portions thereof.

' 8. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads stretched taut over the ends of said shell, of a rigid wire member spanning said heads and having bent end portions parallel to and linearly pressing outwardly against restricted portions of said heads.

9. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads stretched taut over the ends of said shell, of a vitalizer unit comprising a pair of rigid members each having an elongated stem portion and an enlarged bridge portion adapted to bear linearly against one of said heads, and means for adjustably interconnecting said stems to press said enlarged portions against said heads.

10. The combination with a drum having a shell and a pair of heads stretched taut over the ends of said shell, of a vitalizer unit spanning said heads and pressing outwardly thereagainst, said unit comprising rigid footed end members having an inset socketed central portion, and a rigid rod seated in said sockets at its opposite ends.

11. A vitalizer for a drum having opposed stretched heads, comprising a pair of end members, and a rigid rod interconnecting said end members, said end members each having a plurality of rigid foot portions projecting outwardly therefrom and adapted to bear against said drum heads.

12. A vitalizer for a drum having opposed stretched heads, comprising a rigid rod and rigid end portions adapted to bear against said drum heads at restricted portions only of comparatively larger restricted areas of said heads.

13. A vitalizer for a drum comprising a rigid rod and a pair of rigid bridge members mounted on the ends of said rod and each having a plurality of outwardly projecting spaced drum-headengaging rigid foot portions.

14. A vitalizer for a drum comprising a wire bent to form a rigid elongated intermediate portion and opposed annular end portions supported at spaced points by portions diverging from said intermediate portion.

JOSEPH M. GROLIMUND. 

